Machine for manufacturing balls from sheet metal.



No. 756',96 5. I PATENTED APR. 12, 1904. A. JOHNSTON. MACHINE FORMANUFACTURING BALLS FROM SHEET METAL.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 15, 1902- 2 25 J ZZc fi h i ,5 M, MW. QCWM)JiZbr/zqya ,1": ncmms PETERS co. PHmo-umo WASHINGTON. u. c.

No. 756,965. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

A. JOHNSTON.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING BALLS FROM SHEET METAL.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.15, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2 I .T: If:

7 i 68 f HI W1 1 h J] z'z I r 50i/ 76 g 69 4 .55 75 g 775 ax E Z// Z 5 M6 E F i?: Z .52

I Z 1 i 5 2 .51

No. 756,965. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

A. JOHNSTON.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING BALLS FROM SHEET METAL;

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 15, 1902.

no MODEL invezzfif:

Pu: uomns mm is ca mmuuma. Msnmowmo c No. 756,965. PATENTED APR. 12,1904. A.- JOHNSTON. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING BALLS PROM SHEET METAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1902. N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

fine/6666:

Tm: win: FETERS 00,. mu'rou'ma. WASHINM'ON. o c.

No, 756,965. 1 FATBNTBD APR. 12. 1904.

' A. JOHNSTON.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING BALLS PROM SHEET METAL.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 15, I902.

H0 MODEL. 7 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Patented April 12, 1904.

PATENT Orricn.

ALLEN JOHNSTON, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA.

MACHINE; FOR MANUFACTURING BALLS FROM SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,965, dated April12,1904.

Application filed December 15, 1902. Serial No. 135,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ottumwa, in the county of Wapello and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for ManufacturingBalls from Sheet Metal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for forming balls from sheet metal,and is adapted to bend the metal from the flat into spherical form, thefinishing operation set forth in my Patents Nos. 698,707 and 709AO9being performed by the means therein set forth or by other appropriatemechanism.

In the manufacture of sheet-metal balls as heretofore conducted by methe blank is first cut from the flat strip or sheet and then issubjected to the action of a punch and die, by which it is formed into acup shape, and then the cupped blank is acted upon by concave dies,whereby its open side is closed by the bending of its edges overtowardeach other and until they are substantially in contact, the cupping andthe closing being separate operations and performed by independentmachines, and the cupped blank being positioned in the closing machineor press by hand. In my present machine I aim to perform both theseoperations without any intervening handling of the cupped blanks; andthe invention consists in the mechanism by which this end is attainedand also in the de tails and novel features hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections ofthe invention upon planes at right angles to each other.

Figs. 3 and 4 are partial vertical sections,

showing the operating parts in different positions. Figs. 5, 6, and 7are sections on the lines 5 5, 6 6, and 7 7, respectively, of Fig.2.

Fig. 8 is apartial side elevation. Fig. 9 is a plan of the cam forthrowing out the balls. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of theclosing-dies. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are views showing, first, the flatblank from which the balls are formed; second, the cupped blank, and,third, the closed ball.

In the drawings, 15 represents the frame of (N 0 model.)

the machine, 16 the drive-pulley, and 17 the main shaft on which thepulley is loosely mounted and to which it is adapted to be clutched atwill. As any suitable and known form of clutch may be used, I do notdeem it necessary to describe the one which is partially shown and whichis operated by a treadle 18.

The shaft 17 has a boss 19 on its inner end, a portion of which iscutaway, so as to form an eecentrically-located wrist-pin 20. From thispin 20 a pitman 21 extends to a second Wristpin 22 ina vertically-movinghead 23, traveling between the ways 24:, formed on the frame. The head23 carries the punch 25, by which the blank is cupped, and the die 26,by which the open end of the cupped blank is closed. Said head also-hasformed on it a cam-surface 27, whereby the arm 28 on the end of arock-shaft 29 may be actuated in one direction at each stroke impartedto the head by the mechanism described. The shaft 29 extendshorizontally across the machine and is supported at its ends instationary bearings, and between the bearings a sleeve 30 is mounted onand keyed fast to the shaft, and this sleeve carries ahorizontally-extending arm 31, to which a knife 32 is attached. Thestrip 32, from which the blanks are cut, is fed into the machine atright angles to this knife and is severed by the knife with theassistance of the stationary knife 33 below the strip at each operationof the rock-shaft. A spring 3 L, attached to the arm 28, is distendedwhen the arm is operated by the cam 27 and serves to return the arm androck the shaft back to normal position whenever the cam-surface iswithdrawn by the head 23 on its downstroke. The punch 25 is adjustablein the head 23, the screw 35 regulating it vertically and the screw 36looking it.

WVhen the blank, such as that shown at Fig. 11, is severed by theknives, it falls onto a female die located directly below and inalinement with the punch and consisting of one or more perforated steelplates 37, supported in the bracket 38. The opening 39 in plates 37 isextended through the bracket, and below the bracket are stripping-blades40, impelled toward the opening by springs 41, the acting faces of theblades being beveled, as shown at Figs. 3 and 4, so that they willpermit the downward passage of the cupped blank, but resist its returnwith the punch on the upstroke of the latter. With this construction itwill be seen that when the head 23 descends it will force the punch toact on the blank which was severed at the upstroke of the head and whichis in position over the die, this action resulting in forming the flatblank into the cup shape shown at Fig. 12.

Below the die is an intermittently-turning vertical shaft 50, supportedin bearings 51 and 52, carrying at its upper end oppositely-extendingarms 53, at its center a disk 54, and at its lower end a bevel-gear 55.The disk and gear are keyed to the shaft at either side of the bearing51 and prevent any vertical play by the shaft. Each of the arms 53supports a cup-shaped die or holder 60, adapted to fit the bottoms ofthe cupped blanks, and by the turning of the shaft they are broughtalternately under the opening of the cupping- 'die, so that they mayreceive the cupped blanks therefrom. These holders have no verticalmovement of their own; but they are surrounded by vertically-movablecone-topped caps 61, fitting loosely over the standards 57 of theholders, and which standards are threaded into the arms 53. The holdersare let into the top of the standards, and the caps when in theirelevated positions project beyond the holders and into proximity to thestrippers 40, so that the caps act to guide the cup into position in theholder and prevent its escape or loss of position after leaving thecuppingdie. The punch 25 descends far enough to insure the entrance ofthe cupped blank into the holder and the strippers prevent its movingupward with the punch when the latter withdraws. The upward movement ofthe caps is caused by lifting-rods 62, riding on a cam-surface 63,partially encircling the shaft just below the arms 53 and supported onthe part 52, and the downward movement of the caps is due to thepressure of the closingdie. The rods pass downward through the arms 53and the caps rest upon them without being attached to them. The holderand cap are shown at the right of Fig. 4 in the positions they occupy atthe time they receive the freshly-cupped blank from the cupping-die.

After one of the holders has received a blank, as shown at the right ofFig. 4, thehead 23 is raised so as to withdraw the punch and also so asto withdraw the closing-die 26, which acts at the same time as thepunch. The shaft '50 then receives a half-turn, by which the out off andpositioned over the die 37 and will be cupped and forced into the otherholder 60 at the same operation of the head at which the first-mentionedblank is closed, as just described. It will thus be seen that acompletely-formed ball will be turned out at each stroke of the head 23,the holders alternating in receiving the cupped blanks from the cuppingdevices and in presenting them in position under the closing-die andalso coacting with the closing-die in the closing operations, and allthis is done without any handling whatever of the blanks.

The closing-die has an ejector 65, secured in aplunger 66, movable inthe hollowed core of the die. Normally this ejector is in the positionof Fig. 4; but when the die is raised to its elevated position (shown atFig. 3) a rod 67, projecting upward from the plunger, encounters a stop68, whereby the plunger is forced down against its lifting-spring 69sufficiently to force the ejector downward and into the cavity of thedie, thereby ejecting the ball if it clings to the die. As soon as thehead 23 descends sufliciently to allow it to do so the spring retractsthe ejector.

The holders are also provided with ejectors 7 O for ejecting the balls.These ejectors are mounted in the upper ends of sliding rods 56, movablein the standards 57, and in the rotary movements of the shaft 50 suchrods ride over the cam-surface 59, and are thereby raised after the diehas been lifted and the holder has commenced its return to receivingposition, the raising movement being sufficient to insure certainejection. The rods descend by gravity. The standards are locked inposition by nuts 71. At the time the closing-die begins to act the capsof the holders are in their highest positions and are pushed down by thedescent of the die.

It now remains to describe the mechanism by which continuous motion ofthe driving shaft is converted into an intermittent motion for the shaftcarrying the holders. Attached to the boss 19 of the drive-shaft byscrews 72 is a disk 73, said disk thus moving continuously with theshaft. In one side of this disk near the center is formed a slot 74 andon the other side is an offset 75, extending inward from the peripheryand having inclined ends, as seen in dotted lines at Fig. 6. In theslot, which is preferably extended radially to the periphery, is locateda roller 76, attached to a disk or arm 77, secured on the hub ofabevelpinion 78 on the shaft 79, supported in the box 80, said pinionmeshing with the gear 55, already mentioned. The roller transmits motionfrom the disk 73 to disk 7 7, but does not fill the slot, and leavesroom for lost motion, so that there will be intervals of time while theroller is not hearing against the wall of the slot when the disk 77 willnot be actuated, thereby rendering the motion of shaft 50 intermittent.I also provide means whereby the movement of the roller. 7 6 may behastened sufiiciently at proper times to carry it from the driving sideof slot 7 1 to the other or non-driving side thereof, and thus allowsaid roller while the driving side is catching up with it a period ofrest, during which the holder-shaft may be locked and the cupping andclosingoperations performed. These means consist of the pin 90,projecting laterally from disk 73, and the two pins 91, de-

pending from diametricallyopposite points of the wheel 54, said pinsbeing arranged so that they come in contact, and as the disk movesfaster than the wheel it is enabled to quicken the movement of thelatter to the necessary extent to shift the roller 76, as stated. Thepin 91 is in contact only momentarily with each pin 91, and as soon astheir contact ends the wheel will be locked, as described in the nextparagraph.

In order to lock the shaft during its periods of rest, I provide uponthe wheel 54: already mentioned notches 81 at diametrically oppositepoints in its periphery, and a lever 83, hinged at one end to astationary pin 84 and having a projection 85, adapted to enter saidnotches, the lever being normally pressed to' ward the wheel by thespring-slide 86. The lever also carries a roller 87, which rides on theperiphery of the disk 7 3 and is forced into the offset by thespring-slide. Through this roller and the disk the engagement of theprojection 85 with the notches of wheel 54 is regulated, the offsetallowing the engagement to take place and also causing disengagement,and the unbroken portion of the disks periphery holding the lever away,so that no engagement can take place while the roller is riding thereon.

It will further be noted that shaft 79 is not in line with shaft 19, butis set below the latter. The object of this arrangement is to render themotion given shaft 7 9 and the parts actuated by it a variable one,starting slowly and increasing in speed until a half-revolution has beencompleted and then diminishing gradually until the revolution iscompleted. This variable speed is due to the changes in position of theroller 76, which in the position shown at Fig. 2 is nearly in line withthe axis of shaft 19, but by the time the shaft 7 9 has made ahalf-revolution the roller will have moved some considerable distanceoutward'in the slot 74:, and consequently the speed of shaft 7 9 will atone time in its revolution exceed that of shaft 19. By reason of thisvariable speed of the shaft 7 9 I am able to'run the'inachine muchfaster than would otherwise be possible, because theintermittentlyinoving parts start and stop slowly and avoid all shocksand jars. The gear 55 is twice the size of pinion 78, so that shaft 50moves at half the speed of shaft 79, and each complete revolution of thelatter only carries shaft 50 half-way round, and consequently the slowstarts and stops above referred to occur at the right times in themovements of the holders.

While I have shown the machine to be equipped with two holders for thecupped blanks which are positioned alternately in position to receivethe blanks, it will be understood that a single holder may be used andstill accomplish the main object of the invention.

I have described the holders as being mounted on arms 53; but inpractice the arms may be' in one piece with the shaft 50, and the termarms may also include the diametrically opposite portions of a circularhead formedon or applied to said shaft.

I claim 1. In a machine for forming hollow balls, a punch and die fordrawing the flat blank into cup shape, means for removing the blank fromthe punch a closing-die carrying its own ejector, and a positioningdevice whereby the cupped blank is positioned for the operation of theclosing-die. r

2. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for drawing the blankinto cup shape, means for removing the cup from the punch of the drawingmeans, a die for closing the cup and carrying its own ejector, and adevice receiving the cupped blank from the drawing devices andpositioning it for the operation of the closing-die.

3. Ina machine for forming hollow balls, meansfor drawing the blank intocup shape and a die for closing the cupped blank and carrying its ownejector, in combination with a device receiving the cupped blankfrom thedrawing means and supporting it during the operation of the closing-die,and means for ejecting the formed ball from the closing-die.

1. In a machine for forming hollow balls, a punch and die for drawingthe flat blank into cup shape, means contacting with the edge or pointsof the cupped blank and serving to remove it from the punch, and meanscarrying an ejector for both closing and ejecting the cupped blank, incombination with a holder into which the blank is delivered by thecupping means, and by which it is carried into position to be acted uponby the closing means.

5. In a machine for forming hollow balls,- means for forming the blankinto cup shape, in combination with a device for holding the cup withits open end uppermost and supporting it in that position while it isbeing closed, a die for closing the open end and carrying an ejector,and an ejecting device in said die.

6. In a machine for forming hollow balls,the combination of means forcupping the blank, and a holder which is adapted to support the cuppedblank during the closing operation and which receives the cupped blankin proper position for that operation, a closing-die for closing theopen end of the cupped blank, and an ejector for said closing-die actingon the outer surface of the closedend.

7 The combination in a machine for form- 8. In a machine for forminghollow balls, the

combination with means for severing the blank in rectangular form, of ahollow die upon which the blank is placed when severed, a. punch forforcing the blank into the die and into cup form, and stripping devicesmovable toward the punch for removing the blank.

9. In a machine for forming hollow balls, the combination with means forsevering the blank in rectangular form, of a hollow die upon whichtheblank is placed when severed, a punch for forcing the blank into the dieand into cup form, stripping devices movable toward the punch forremoving the blank therefrom,and a recessed holder into which the blankis forced by the punch.

10. In a machine for forming hollow balls, the combination with meansfor cupping the blank and a closing-die carrying an ejector adapted toact on the surface of the closed ball, of a hemispherical die or holderin which the cupped blank is deposited by the cupping means, and meansfor moving said holder into position for the action of the closing-die.

11. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for cutting out arectangular blank of flat metal, a hollow die, a punch for forcing theblank through the hollow die, and forming a cup with upstanding points,a supporting-die to receive the closed end of the cup, a closing-dieadapted to fully close said points, and mechanism for operating thecutting means, the punch and the closing-die.

12. In a machine for forming hollow balls, a die through which the blankis forced in the cupping operation, a punch for carrying the blankthrough the said die, spring-pressed stripping devices movable towardthe punch and serving to strip the cupped blank therefrom, a pluralityof hemispherical dies or holders, a support for such hemispherical dies,a closing-die adapted to-close the points of the blank intohemispherical form and into contact with each other, and means forbringing the hemispherical dies into acting position relative to boththe cupping-die and the closing-die.

13. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for forming an angularblank from flat metal, a hollow die through which the blank is forced, aplurality of hemispherical hold-.

ers receiving the blank from the hollow die, means for forcing the blankthrough the hollow die and depositing it in one of the hemisphericaldies, movable stripping devices for stripping the blank from saidforcing means and a die for closing the point of the blank intohemispherical form and into contact with each other.

14. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for forming arectangular blank of flat metal, a hollow die, a movable hemisphericalholder, means for forcing the blank through the hollow die and leavingit in said hemispherical holder, and a closing-die cooperating with thehemispherical die in closing the open end of the blank intohemispherical form with the points in contact, and an ejector adapted toact upon the outer surface of the closed blank and to force it from theclosing-die.

15. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for forming arectangular blank of flat metal, a hollow die, a movable hemisphericalholder, means for forcing the blank through the hollow die and leavingit in said hemispherical holder, and means for closing the open end ofthe blank into hemispherical form with the points in contact, saidhemispherical holder and said closing meansbeing both provided withejectors adapted to act on the sur face of the ball.

16. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for cutting off arectangular blank of flat metal, a hollow die, a punch for forcing theblank through the hollow die, a movable hemispherical holder, aclosing-die adapted to close the open end of the blank and to force thepoints thereof into close contact, said closing-die carrying its ownejector, and mechanism for operating the cutting means, the punch andthe closing-die and for positioning the hemispherical holder.

17. In a machine for forming hollow balls, means for cutting off theblank of flat metal, a hollow die, a punch for forcing the blank throughthe hollow die, a plurality of hemispherical dies receiving the cuppedblanks from the punch, a die for closing the cups and carrying its ownejector, and means for positioning the hemispherical dies alternatelyunder the punch and under the closing-die, substantially as specified.

'18. The die for closing the open end of the cupped rectangular blank,adapted to force the points of the blank closely together inhemispherical form and complete the ball, and car'- rying an ejectoradapted to act on the outer slurface of the ball and discharge it fromthe 19. The combination with the cupping de vices and the closingdie,ofthe hemispherical holder,the cap surrounding the holder, means forpositioning the cap vertically, and means for positioning the holderalternately under the cupping devices and under the dies, both theclosing-die and the hemispherical holder gaging ejecting devices,substantially as speci- 20. The machine for making hollow balls having amovable holder for the cupped blanks,

10 adapted to support the cupped blank during the closing operation, anupper hemispherical die for closing the cupped blank, and ejectors forboth of said dies adapted to eject the completed ball from either die inwhich it may stick.

ALLEN JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

B. FUNK, THos. RODGERS.

